Aaron was in awe of her. His little warrior was as strong, if not stronger than most men he knew.
“
Yes, sire...err, Aaron. But if she wanted us dead, why would she have put herself in danger to save us in the first place? Unless...it was to cause her own death.”
That was what Aaron was wondering too and he was surprised that Demetrius thought the same thing. His estimation of the man’s worth had just raised a few more notches.
“
Not us, just you two. She as much told me I was expendable in the large scheme of things. Her only objective was to save you. Why? I’d like to find out what makes a human feel the need to do what she did, to take such a chance.” Or if she even was a human. He looked down at her again. “I take it she’d never given you any indication that she wanted death.”
“
No, never. There’s something else you should know. I believe she sent me a hard mental push to go to April, saying that she was in trouble. I never realized she was capable of anything like that, of telepathic behavior.”
Aaron had thought as much when she’d kill the men with him. He had felt the small but strong mental push of compulsion, but hadn’t realized it had come from her. He looked up from her face when Demetrius continued.
“
Honestly? There isn’t much we know about her, especially in light of tonight’s activities. We had no indication that she had these powers, abilities, I guess. I knew that I had been unable to penetrate her mind, but after trying hard for the first few months, then off and on over the last few, I just put it down as a natural phenomenon and didn’t think much about it again. It happens in some humans, I guess. Now, it seems she is much stronger than I am, mentally at least. I’m the best psychic I know...knew.”
April picked up from Demetrius when he seemed to trail off. “She keeps to herself mostly. We were told when we hired her that she’s one of the best pilots that Charlie had ever worked with, even if you consider her young age. I’d have to agree with that after working with her.”
“
How long has she worked for you? And where did she work before? I’m assuming locally, right?” Aaron knew there were several small ports around the Zanesville area and one larger one in Columbus.
“
I guess nearly a year now, just before April was changed.” Aaron watched as Demetrius touched his mate and kissed her hand before he continued. “Her experience is vast and varied. She came to us directly though Charles Wolff, the retired alpha to the local were pack. She also worked for Columbus Airport as a substitute pilot or during peak times if they needed her. She flew their bigger planes, 747s and 750s. The local hospital used her as their chopper pilot about three or four times a month.”
“
What did she think about working for supernaturals?” he asked Demetrius.
Aaron was impressed with the girl so far, but that wasn’t getting him any closer to figuring out what she was, only who she was. Aaron knew that he was not going to like the answer as soon as he saw Demetrius look over at his mate before replying.
“
We didn’t think that she knew what we are, any of us. Charlie told me that he thought she was unaware of what they were and we assumed the same thing. I guess we were all wrong about her ability to know if we are immortals or not. He retired as their alpha when his grandson Bradley Wolff took over the pack at the same time that she came to work for us. Charlie said he knows you?” Demetrius said.
“
So it would seem. Yes, I know of him and The Brotherhood of Gray, I believe. Why didn’t she stay with them? I know they still have their own fleet. It seems if she is this good, they wouldn’t have wanted to get rid of her.” Alarmed by her sudden movement, he looked down at her pained expression even in her sleep.
Aaron knew that he could lick her wound closed, but he was sure that the bullet was still lodged into her ribs. If it were anything but silver, he would just dig it out and heal her. Then there was the added problem of what he suspected she might be to him.
“
There was some bad blood between her and the grandson’s wife, Lynne.” April answered this time. “Charlie thought that she had always been very jealous of Sara and would have killed her if she had ever had the chance. Probably would have ended differently than he thought it, if today is any indication of her ability to defend herself.” April laughed at her own joke, and then sobered quickly.
Aaron sighed, wondering when they would feel comfortable around him. “Yes, I believe you’re correct. I would like it if you two could stay at the estate for a while. I should have asked earlier, and not demanded. She is going to be there for a little while until she’s healed, and will probably feel better about having someone she knows there. I don’t have much in the way of staff yet, as I’ve only just gotten the house and ground cleaned up. But Duncan can see to everything you need.” His tone was dismissive, just as he had meant it to be. He wanted to think—no, needed to think.
April nodded and turned back to face the front of the car. It looked as if he was going to be spending some up close and personal time with some of his new subjects.
Aaron waited until April had finished turning away before he looked down at the burden in his arms again. Sara was quite simply the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And her smell, she smelled of calla lilies and honey. He was sure that the only reason he could smell her now was because she was in a vampire’s sleep, deep as death.
Aaron ran his finger tip down the side of her face, marveling at the silkiness of her skin, the warmth that radiated from it. Her lashes swept out nearly a quarter of an inch across her high cheeks. Her brows arched beautifully over eyelids that, while now closed in sleep, covered the most startling shade of light blue he had ever seen, nearly clear in color. Her skin was the creamiest white, and freckles were sprinkled all over her small, upturned nose and the rosiest of cheeks, pale now because of her blood loss and other injuries. Her hair matched her complexion to perfection, being an exceptional burnished copper, a color that could not have come from any bottle or salon.
Aaron’s gaze traveled further down her body to her breasts, which were covered by the thin t-shirt she had on. They looked firm, full, and ripe. He shifted her weight in his arms to try and ease the now painful erection he had just thinking about what color, and how large, her nipples might be. What they would taste like when he suckled them into his mouth. Her waist was small, but not the overly thin that most of the women now days were trying to achieve. Her hips flared out, and to his way of thinking, they were the perfect size for him to hold onto while slamming his cock deep inside her, giving them both pleasure for hours. Her jeans and the soft leather boots molded lovingly to her legs gave testimony of the length and muscle tone of them. She was any man’s wet dream and a vampire’s worse nightmare rolled into one lovely woman. And he was very afraid this little slip of a human was what he feared more than anything in his entire fourteen hundred year existence. She was someone he had hoped never to meet.
Aaron was terrified that the woman who had begged for him to end her life was actually his life mate, and he was in no hurry to confirm that possibility.
There were several ways vampires knew their other half, their mate. Blood exchange was the most well known, and the quickest way to confirm what most of them knew. Sex, while the most enjoyable of the three ways, was also not the most reliable. The act of completion, during which both parties achieved release during intercourse, opened doorways to each other’s minds through telepathy, and an emotional bond was formed so tightly that one knew the feelings of the other at all times, including the death of one of them. Smell, the least reliable, was usually what lured the couple together to facilitate one, or both, of the other two. But when older vampires, and Aaron was one, got a strong aroma from their potential mate, it usually turned out they were the one meant for them. And Aaron knew as surely as he was sitting with her in his arms, she wouldn’t be any happier about it than he was.
With a scent as powerful as Sara’s, how could he possibly doubt that she was the one?
~
CHAPTER THREE~
Aaron walked into the kitchen just as Duncan was closing one of the multitudes of cabinets. There were bags everywhere and more boxes than should have been necessary to hold groceries for one woman. All were marked with the logo of one of the local markets. He noticed a huge bowl of fruit on the tile counter. He picked up one of the oranges and put it to his nose.
The smell of citrus exploded in his senses. Feelings of sunshine on his skin and warmth, laughter ringing in his ears, and happiness moved through him. Memories. The wonderful memories of Christmas mornings as a child celebrating the season with his family.
He and his little sister would pour their meager stockings on the floor. The sounds of small toys, wooden and tin clanking together as they rummaged for the small gifts. And at the toe, a single orange, a rare treat in both the season and their poor household.
“
Has Miss Temple woken up yet, Duncan?” he asked as the emotions of the flashback receded.
“
Not, my lord, at least not for overly long. I do believe she has used the bathroom twice since her arrival. The monitor sounded when she entered that room earlier. I did find her on the bedroom floor near the bed just this morning, sir, and I did put her back into it. However, the next time I went up, she was on the floor again, only across the room this time. I left her there. She must not have found any comfort in the big bed for some reason.”
It would bother Duncan,
Aaron thought,
that Sara was not in a proper bed. Knowing Duncan, he would probably purchase a new mattress if he believed that the old one had offended someone.
Aaron smiled at his dear friend.
“
Maybe the bed is too soft for her wound. Have you gotten the food supplies I asked you to?”
Aaron knew that he could depend on Duncan; he had been doing that since they had rescued one another in the early eighteen hundreds. Both men starving, one for food, the other for blood, they had provided each other with what they needed most. Duncan had been his daywalker and protector since.
“
Of course, my lord, you did ask me to.”
Aaron felt his lips twitch at the look the man gave him. Prudently, he did not laugh at him. Duncan could be sensitive about such things.
“
Yes, I know, but when was the last time food was brought into a household that you and I were living in?” While he did not feed from Duncan, a bond had formed between them in addition to a strong friendship. And because of it, Duncan would live, never aging for as long as Aaron did.
“
I see your point. But I must say, it was quite fun shopping for human food stuffs. I did not realize that things had changed so much in just one hundred years. And sire, you would not believe the variety of things. Why, there were several kinds of apples to choose from, I could hardly make up my mind. I did purchase plenty of fresh fruits for the young miss. Do you think she will enjoy them?”
“
Duncan, I believe you need to get out more.” Aaron sat in one of the new kitchen chairs that had been delivered just yesterday morning. “Yes, I do, even if she doesn’t think she does. She’ll need to eat well. She’s much too thin as it is. Have you had any luck getting any help for the house? While I know that you are more than capable of getting everything done, with guests in the house, we don’t want to give them the worry of thinking you won’t be able to care for them.”
“
No, sir, I have not. It would seem that the previous master was quite the monster, if you do not mind my saying so. No one will trust that you will not extract a payment of some sort to work here, as he did. And that you will not be as harsh or cruel as he.”
Duncan was correct, he knew. It did not make the situation any better. That was why he had gone to see the Carlovettis. The young couple was well respected in both the human and the vampire world. He had gone to seek their help in bringing people around and convincing them to get to knowing him better.
“
I feared as much,” Aaron said sadly. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to convince them that while I expect them to follow the rules set forth, I won’t skin anyone alive who doesn’t comply. I also plan to pay for the services rendered with a good wage.”
Aaron had been doing a little research on the people he now commanded. They really were terrified of the leadership, and with good reason. In the month since he had become master, he’d only met with a handful of them and they had been nearly overwhelmed with terror.
“
I had heard that a ‘skinning’ was his minimum punishment for disobedience and to do so while they lived...” Duncan shivered. “So it’s true then, sire? You will have much to overcome, I fear.” He said it as if he had fully expected him to accomplish it without any problems.
“
I’m afraid so. And that was the minimum punishment. Once the little warrior wakes up, let me know immediately. She and I have a lot to talk about.” He started to leave the room when Duncan stopped him by clearing his throat.
“
My lord...about the other guests, what should I do with them?” He suddenly looked nervous.
“
They’ll be here until we get this settled with Miss Temple. I don’t want her to wake in a strange house with strange people.” He could not resist a little teasing. “Are they proving too much for you, old man?”
Duncan huffed and walked away from him. Aaron laughed out loud. He could not wait for her to wake, he thought as he returned to his study. She was a distraction. A beautiful and stubborn distraction, one he wanted to kiss on the delicious mouth again.